Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

Suckling raged about this. "Same quality as the 2010." Let's have a look under the hood.

Nice dark color, nice legs in the glass. Lactic nose. Otherwise subdued. No berries red, blue, black or Margaux of any kind. A flourish of fine but stiff tannin. Good palate spread and coverage. Light bodied. Dry. There's not much forward about this wine, fruit or otherwise. Dry, a tad wooden if not oaky. Aside from an expansive palate presence and good length, this is one to commit to the cellar and faith. Some weight and density may come; it often does. But this will play more towards elegance than power, which is the side to err on.

...just the way I like 'em.

Just to round this off. This wine did throw me a bit of a curve. It was not closed, nor did it have that abrupt burst of fruit and hard shutdown of tannin in the finish. There was a pleasing warmth and spiciness towards the end of the bottle and it showed very well with the food. So I wouldn't hesitate to revisit this one in six months or so, perhaps yearly, until and if it shuts down hard or I get down to the six bottle mark (of a case), which I will want to reserve for the out years.

Anyway it certainly hasn't quenched my appetite for 2014 left bankers. I'm eyeing some Lilian Ladouys on the virtual shelf right now.

Art, your description remind me the 2006, so i guess this would fit my palate.

I don't have any 2014, but the 2015 is still big and closed, at least the only time I had it. But it will blossom in 8-10 years.

Nic

Guys
If there are no berries of any kind then I’ll buy a lesser Margaux wine instead.
I have to admit to never really getting Cantemerle. The 89 was the best I have tried but I want more mid palate intensity and complexity.
Maybe I am finding in 2020 that I see too many charmless, dry and fruitless wines or overly alcoholic, tarry monsters.
Can I just have some wines that are medium bodied with complex palates, balanced with Integrated oak, fine tannins and moderate acid???
Having said that I’ve tried some lesser ranked 2014’s and I like them. They offer more classic, cool Bdx characters with some acid and tannin for ageing. Have not tried any really top wines but those tried are very good.